After Listening: 1989 TV Vault Track Rankings
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If you read my last article, I think it’s safe to say that my predictions for the 1989 (Taylor’s Version) vault tracks were far from accurate. Keep reading to hear my ranking of the 1989 TV vault tracks.
“Suburban Legends”
I think this is a fun and unique track, but I haven’t found myself going back to listen. To be honest, I don’t understand this track in comparison to the rest of 1989 (Taylor’s Version). The original era was so categorized by city life and glamor that the vibes of this song feel a bit out of place on this album. In full honesty, the production, lyrics, and vocals all sound straight out of Midnights.
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“Say Don’t Go”
I definitely liked this song, but similarly to “Suburban Legends,” I haven’t purposely queued this track. Taylor’s voice sounds amazing in this song, and she does a great job portraying the desperation that can come with a failing relationship, but other tracks just stood out more to me.
“Slut!”
Taylor really caught me off guard with this song. I expected “Slut!” to be much more fun and upbeat, maybe even angry, but I actually really enjoyed what she did with it. Taylor tapped into her upper range for this angelic chorus - something we haven’t been seeing as much from her recently. While this track was totally different than what I expected, I’m actually very pleasantly surprised.
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“Now That We Don’t Talk”
Out of all the vault tracks, this one feels the most 1989 to me. I think this song could fit seamlessly on the original album, which I think is a very important characteristic in a vault track. Even though I question why Taylor doesn’t enjoy being on a mega yacht (very hot take), I thoroughly enjoyed this track.
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“Is It Over Now”
I’m sure we’ve all heard this song on TikTok by now, but it’s for good reason. The combination of (can’t think of the right word - like awe-inspiring but not really) lyrics on top of an 80s-inspired back track had my jaw on the floor. This song has stayed on repeat for me - the buildup to the final chorus never gets old. Hoping Harry Styles is feeling okay since this release.
Overall, I definitely enjoyed the 1989 TV vault tracks, but I found myself getting more excited about some of the re-recordings of the original songs. I felt like some of these songs strayed from the original integrity of the 1989 album. Personally, my favorite part about past vault tracks has been being transported back into the era in which the original album was released.
While I hope all the Swifties out there are enjoying our time in 1989 territory, I’m sure Taylor has something new brewing.
Strike Out,
Avery Gahler
University of Notre Dame
Editors: Elisabeth Olsen and Maddie Arruebarrena
